Cabinets are one of the more integral parts of kitchens and bathrooms, and what you choose for your cabinets will change how your home looks. The right cabinet can really open your home and give you more options for color or pattern. You can also replace cabinets for durability reasons as well. Most cabinets will be a combination of wood, possibly glass. Modern kitchens may have some type of steel look. However, since wood cabinets are used mostly in kitchens and bathrooms, you can find out some of these options and pick what will work best for your home improvement project.

White Ivory

These cabinets are very light in color, and they are also the least expensive. Usually, these cabinets are laminate or painted wood. Soft colors like white ivory make room look larger. It also gives an easy or timeless look to a room. However, there are some problems with this cabinet choice, mostly that your cabinets will tend to show kitchen or bathroom stains more, such as dirt and scuffs.

Oak

Oak is a light tan color. It is a durable hardwood with a uniform, open-grain that ranges in color from white or yellow, to red. This type of cabinet is usually less expensive than maple or cherry options. However, there is lots of grain, so make sure that you like the look by visiting a home improvement store or looking at different images of oak wood. Wood laminate is often made to look like oak, which makes it even cheaper.

Pine

Pine is a type of cabinet material with least expensive options and rustic appeal. Pine is truly a beautiful wood to use with cabinets because of its light look and natural grain. However, soft wood can dent easily, and you can find massive knots. You should always look at types of wood before you choose something for your home.

Maple

If you want a hard wood with minor variations in grain, maple is a beautiful wood for cabinets. Light in color with fine grain, maple is a viable option for any country kitchen. The only cons to the look of maple is that it can sometimes appear fuzzy or out of focus on veneer surfaces.

Cherry

Cherry is a much darker cabinet wood. It is also a hard wood and shows off a beautiful, natural grain. Cherry wood should be balanced with a kitchen that has a lot of light and not a whole lot of dark, or else you will find yourself in a very dark kitchen. There are some major differences in colors, between red and yellow, so you need to view the color before you accept it. If you are considering this in natural or light stain, cherry is also the most expensive type of wood.

Hickory

Hickory is like cherry wood but there are variations in its coloring and pattern. You want to make sure with a hickory wood that you look at the sample before you purchase and make sure that is the type of wood that you get. However, hickory is less expensive than cherry. You can always look at cabinets online that are hickory and compare that to what is offered at your local store.

Dark Stain

You can apply a dark stain to any type of wood. It provides a timeless, classic look. If you do choose a dark stain, it may wear off over time, or chip, which means that you'll have to keep up the cabinets, sanding and resealing, as well as applying the finish. Woods can also look different depending on the stain that you choose.

Amy Wright

Amy Wright is the Lead Editor of Remodeling Central. When she isn't playing with her dogs she is trying to remodel a classic Chicago style brownstone with her husband.